Happy Ending
by x WhatsherFace x
Summary: Her dream was a happy ending, but that dream is crushed when her family goes haywire After a brutal encounter with her mother, and many long months away from the Feudal Era, Kagome returns hoping that someone will see she's not okay. InuKag


A/N: My first story... hope everyone likes! A quote inspired this one-shot, so enjoy! It's kind of odd, because I go in and out of 1st PoV and like, 3rd, so just bare with me please, okay? THNX! XPP Also.. with the rating thing, you might find that it's COMPLETELY overrated, but I've seen some good stories taken off because decided the story didn't apply too well to the rating. shrug

* * *

"I say, '**Oh, I'm fine**'—just _waiting_ for

someone to care and say, '**No you're not**.'"

* * *

I've always wished my life could have a happy ending, but lately that seemed like a far way off. My happy ending didn't even have to be complex. All I wanted…All I _needed_ for it was him. My ever-present yet never accessible white knight. My demonic prince. 

It all started when Grandpa got sick. Mom started going to work more often, and when she wasn't at work she was at the hospital with him. I think we all knew that even if he got better, he wasn't coming back to the shrine. That's what turned her to drinking.

And then Grandpa got worse, and Mom wasn't home at all. Time in the Feudal Era became very limited, and Inuyasha was annoyed, but I had my family to take care of now.

I grocery shopped, got an extra job for a few days a week. As much as I could at my age.

Souta didn't seem to fully understand what was happening, so he was fine. Obliviousness is bliss, as they say.

Grandpa wasn't _dying_, at least not yet he wasn't. This fact was a breath of fresh air, and it calmed each of us when we remembered it long enough.

I never realized how attached to the Feudal Era I was. I missed my hot spring talks with Sango, Miroku's perversion (those smacks were more satisfying than you'd believe), Shippo's playfulness and perpetual happiness. Inuyasha…

He irritated her beyond belief, but she tolerated it. His insults, his frequent lack of kindness, his temper, his callousness, his eyes, his voice…

I wanted – no, _needed_- to go back so much. At least there was time tomorrow… Take off school, no work, and it was in the bag. Groceries were bought, money left for Souta, and her backpack filled to the brim and close to over-packed with ramen, chocolate, and other snacks for her long- missed friends.

My alarm was set for 4 AM, even earlier than Inuyasha ever thought of making me come. I went to sleep, and when I woke up the next morning it wasn't to my alarm.

Grandpa had taken a turn for the worse, and Mom was freaking that he was going to die. She'd probably had a bit too much to drink, as she was overreacting worse than usual.

While the doctors had assured all of us- me, my mom, and Souta- that he was very far off from dying, but would need to stay in the hospital for much longer than expected and if not monitored properly would die.

I never got to go to the Feudal Era. I hadn't been in a little over a month, and it worried me to think of what might have happened. Thankfully I still had my shards safe with me, so well travel would be no trouble whenever I got the chance.

Mom came home drunk that night. Horribly so, really. Broke some of her vases… Threw pictures around. Nothing I hadn't cleaned up before. The only difference this night was that she hit me. It wasn't too bad, I mean, I fight demons for goodness sake! It was the fact that my _mother_ hit _me_.

It was pretty shocking. It was pretty hurtful. And then she hit me again with a piece of broken glass and sliced my hand across the palm.

That's about when I got into fight mode and ran back to the well. She threw the glass at me, screaming profanities about how my never being around did this to my grandfather… That his constant worries over me caused him to forget to worry about himself.

I got cut at least 4 more times running back. For a drunken woman, she sure had aim. My back, my neck, and the back of my arm all got cut. She skimmed the side of my face, and that's when I got to the well house and jumped in.

The bleeding was pretty bad. I'd started sobbing halfway out of the house, and I hadn't stopped yet.

That's probably how Inuyasha knew so soon that I was back, and not happy. He'd been waiting by the well, even though he wouldn't admit it. Waited everyday for over a month. God, I loved him so much sometimes.

I was bleeding all over my clothes. Wiped on my legs, my skirt. My shirt was ripped up and the side of my face was bloody from the skim.

He found me curled at the bottom of the well sobbing. Bawling. My mother had tried to kill me, and she didn't even _know_ it. People who didn't know about my mother's problem didn't suspect anything when I told them I was fine. Inuyasha didn't even ask, he just scooped me up in his big haori arms and hopped out of the well.

Kaede's is where he took me. She wasn't there, but Sango, Miroku and Shippo were. All were ecstatic to see me, and then completely worried over my state. Bloody and sobbing, that's what I was at that moment.

Shippo wanted to know what Inuyasha had done this time, Miroku wanted to know why she was bleeding and Sango wanted to know why she was crying _and _bleeding.

"Shutup, runt. I didn't do nothin' to Kagome so leave me the hell alone!" Inuyasha snapped. He turned to Sango, "Do you think you could fix her up?" Sango looked slightly startled. "I suppose I could, Inuyasha. If you would all leave the hut, please, I can get started…" She looked meaningfully at Miroku.

For once he took the message and left, dragging Shippo with him and placing a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder as he passed him. He followed after, and only came back in to give Sango the bandages and cloths to clean me up.

"Oh Kagome, what's happened to you in your time?" Sango wondered aloud as she cleaned me up. I couldn't stop _crying_. I must've looked like a wreck. I _was_ a wreck. "These are rather bad, Kagome. It makes me wonder where you acquired them from."

About a half hour later, Sango was done with me and she asked me how I was. I wasn't feeling much better, but I'd stopped crying so she'd believe me when I told her fine, slapping on a smile that didn't quite reach my eyes, but managed to fool Sango into leaving. I started to cry again, but not as hard as before.

Shippo bolted in right after Sango left. "She said you said you were fine, but you're not Kagome 'cause you're still crying!" he whimpered out, snuggling into her stomach, mindful of her bandages.

Miroku followed in shortly after with Sango. They appeared to be conversing about something, but I couldn't tell. What they'd been talking about became obvious, however, when Miroku point-blank asked, "Kagome, where did you obtain those wounds? Sango said they were rather deep, and you could've been in a worse state if you hadn't gotten away from your…attacker so quickly. Please tell us, Kagome. We only want to help you!"

I would never tell them the truth. Perhaps Sango would learn of it, but Miroku and Shippo would never know, not if I could help it. So instead of answering, I just shook my head and turned to look out the window.

"Are you sure you're alright, Kagome?" Sango asked, looking upon her with pleading eyes. "For now, yes. I'm incredibly tired though, do you think I could sleep in here in privacy tonight? Please?"

They gave in, of course, and Shippo was dragged off with great protest. I was always fine, always. For the past few months I'd been fine. Mom would come home and knock some stuff around and I'd be there to clean it up when she finally passed out somewhere. She'd never even attempted at hurting a human before. Especially not one of her own _children_.

"Especially not me," I mumbled to no one in particular. It had been hours since I was cleaned up and changed into more of my clothes. Thankfully I had thought to bring extra sets in case they were damaged badly. I never wanted to wear Kikyo's clothes again.

Apparently that no one in particular turned into Inuyasha, as he dropped through the window and asked, "Especially not you, what?"

Her eyes widened as she saw his claws, and was quick to remember the sharp glass that had cut her at home. She started to shake a little. "N-nothing." Damn. Her voice had broken.

He sniffed around a little. "Are you.._afraid_, Kagome?" I noted that he had yet to call me some derogatory name, and I loved how he said my voice. Except when he used that tone. "I-I'm not afraid of _you_ just…" her sentence fell off as he swooped down on her, gathered her up in his arms again and shot off through the window into the woods.

"Where are we going, Inuyasha!" No answer.

"Inuyasha!" Still no answer.

"INUYASHA I SWEAR I will say the 'S' wor-" "QUIET WOMAN!" he roared as he hopped up into a tree and nestled into its branches and foliage.

"I don't want you afraid of me, Kagome. Are you okay?"

She gave her usual response, hoping he'd buy it in one of his frequent trips of extreme denseness. "I'm fine Inuyasha, really. Just tired."

"Bullshit, Kagome, and you know it. Don't lie to me, bitch., I wont tolerate that now! Why cant you just… trust me?" I couldn't meet his eyes. I really did love his eyes. And his voice, too. Did I say that before?

"You do trust me, don't you, Kagome?"

He was manipulating me! I don't think he realized it. My resolve was melting with each utterance of my name, with every soft tone he used instead of just flailing me about until I 'sat' him and stomped off in a huff.

"You even need to ask me that question, Inuyasha? You know I do. We've been searching for the Shikon for two years now, if I didn't trust you I wouldn't have stayed." I smiled at him a bit, finally looking him in the eyes.

That was my mistake.

"Kagome.. You can tell me. I know you're not okay, or fine, or whatever good mood you want to fake. You haven't been fine for the past few times you came back. This time is… It's worse, Kagome."

Her eyes started to fill with tears and she sobbed a little into him. She loved him haori, too.

"Inuyasha, I-I… _I can't_."

I couldn't stop crying. Everything was my fault these days. My grandfather's illness, my mother's drinking problem, everything I've ever done here has been a fault in Inuyasha's eyes.

And I still loved them. All of them. Grandpa, Mom, Inuyasha….

"Inuyasha." I whimpered it. I didn't even know I could whimper, but I did.

I loved him, and he didn't love me, but he was willing to help me anyways because…

Probably because he still needed me for the jewel shards.

And that sent on a fresh wave of tears. Everyone who blamed me… None of them loved me at this moment. My mother tried to kill me, my grandpa is too sick to remember who I am…and Inuyasha never loved me in the first place. Despised me for reminding him of the love he lost and could never really have back.

If he couldn't ever love me, then the least I could do was be his friend. Have a bond of trust between us. I needed friends right now.

"It was my mom."

Might as well throw it all in now. He'd probably think I was lying. Cut myself for attention. I'd never be dead enough or depressed enough to rival Kikyo.

"What was your mom?" He asked. His eyebrows were furrowed in concentration. I loved his face…

"My mom…She's the one who... Who cut me." Inuyasha snarled. "How could your own mother do that to you? Intentionally hurt you, her fucking _kid_!"

I winced. "My grandpa's sick, Inuyasha. I didn't want to tell you because I always held some hope that he was going to come back soon, and he didn't. It's been months… Over a month since I'd last seen you and I couldn't tell you. I couldn't tell anyone."

"Kagome-" he started but she cut him off, "Let me finish, or I'm gonna lose my resolve, okay?" She smiled softly. Inuyasha loved her smile, but he'd never tell her that.

"Nobody knew he was sick, I didn't tell anyone, Souta told no one and Momma… Momma turned to drinking." Her eyes teared at this. "It got bad after a short while. She'd come home drunk and trash the house a bit. Not too drastic, replaceable things that were easy to clean up."

She cleared her throat. "Then Grandpa got even worse, and well, so did she. She was always sensitive to what people said and thought everyone was trying to attack her. She'd go to work and then get wasted. I've been taking care of my brother and myself Inuyasha, and I'm so sorry I couldn't come soon-" he cut her off this time, "Why didn't you tell me? You said you could trust me! I would've helped, somehow! I thought you…"

Was he blushing? I couldn't tell. Drat.

"I thought maybe you got sick of me or something."

He was _definitely_ blushing, and she snuggled into his arms, taking advantage of his current protective state. She didn't get this all the time, and she wanted to take it as much as he was giving it right now.

"I couldn't get sick of you if I wanted to, Inuyasha. Believe me when I say that, I care about you too much to get sick of you."

I can't believe I just said that! I wish I had the guts to see his reaction…. I looked up real quick, and he had a bit of a bemused expression on his face. She grabbed his speechlessness as a chance to continue.

"But…I was planning on coming back this morning, Inuyasha, I promise I was! I was packed and everything, and I had my alarm set for two hours earlier than you've ever asked me to come, but Grandpa took another bad turn early today and… The doctors say he's fine but now he'll almost have to permanently stay in a home or the hospital."

Great, I get to be a big crying mess in front of Inuyasha. Again.

"Hey, it's okay, Kagome. You just said the doctors said he'll be fine! You just gotta… You've gotta chin up! He's not dead is he?"

I knew I loved him for his eloquence, but he always found a way to cheer me up, or at least get the grief off my mind.

"Nah, I guess he's not… But Momma, she took the news hard. She wanted him at home, with us, but now that'll never happen. He doesn't even remember who I _am_. He can't recognize me, Inuyasha, which means he can't love me anymore. He can't love anyone anymore."

"And Momma… She came home tonight, and this was worse than all the others. She ended up breaking a glass vase and I came in to clean it up and… She picked up the pieces and she started yelling at me, Inuyasha. She told me Grandpa's illness was my fault because I was always here with you and that I was too much trouble for her, I could never do anything right and-"

I couldn't stop _sobbing_. My face was soaking and his haori was getting soaked and my nose was runny and he was just _looking_ at me, and watching me like I didn't look like a complete hag, and so I gathered the strength to finish.

"She told me she didn't love me, Inuyasha. And she kept throwing the glass at me and… Inuyasha, _nobody loves me!_"

"Don't believe that, Kagome! It isn't true!"

"Shippo doesn't count, Inuyasha. Nor does Miroku or Sango. They're my family, and I already know you don't-"

"Who told you that? Did I ever say that?"

I opened my mouth to tell him he hadn't when suddenly his mouth was on mine in a burning kiss that sent tingles throw my nervous system, up and down my spine from my head to my toes.

It was the most amazing I've ever felt in my life.

It had started slow and chaste, but was slowly becoming one of heated passion, revealing our frustration at having been in the dark of each other's feelings for so long.

That's how I saw it anyways, I thought as I opened my mouth and granted his tongue entrance.

Even inuhanyous need oxygen, and we reluctantly parted from each other. The butterflies in my stomach were fluttering on like never before, and I savored the way my lips tingled and my mouth tasted... Like ramen and something sweet I'd never tasted before.

"That was an…_amazing_ first kiss." I had yet to open my eyes, and I continued to revel in the warmth of Inuyasha. His body cured around me like a shield, and my mouth where his had been moments before.

I finally managed to open my eyes, and Inuyasha was looking at me. Looking at me in a way that told me he really saw _me_. He loved me and he understood my pain. Looked in a way that told me that I'd never have to lie to people and tell them I was fine again, because he'd always know when I wasn't.

He wasn't looking at me like I was a witch, like I'd ruined his life. He told me later that if anything, I'd made his life better.

My outer wounds healed eventually, and I went home to confront my mother with Inuyasha. She was going to get rehab, she'd already started while I was gone. After she'd chased me out, it occurred to her brain what she had done to me and she sobered almost immediately. That's what she told me, anyways.

Her apologies helped me a little, but those scars could still be freshly opened if anyone wanted to hurt me. They were, sometimes.

"That wasn't so hard, was it?" Inuyasha asked me jokingly. Our relationship had turned amiable. I still had to 'sit' him fairly often, but not as much as before. Now we usually made up with kissing.

I can already tell you that I didn't mind.

"Oh, of course not, what was I thinking worrying about it?" I joked back, beaming at him. He leaned down and placed a chaste kiss on my lips which slowly became as heated- if not more so- than our first. We'd had many since then, and we knew each other well.

This could be my happy ending, but even if it isn't, I'm pretty okay with that. It's helped me to realize that happy endings aren't that important. You could have an amazing life and die in a car crash after a horrible fight with the only one you ever really loved. You could live a mean, degrading life and die peacefully in your sleep. For now I've got Inuyasha and a group of amazing friends. I've got a quest that never seems to come near an end, and a family always there to back me up.

But I was happy. Insanely, deliriously happy.

And that's what really matters, isn't it?


End file.
